1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a push button device having a button head which can be pressed to bring an electrical switch contact out of an operating position and into a switching position and a guide associated with the button head on an arrangement bearing the switch contact. More specifically, this invention relates to a push button device where a parallel guide member such as scissors or a stirrup is arranged between the button head and the guide where in both the operating position and the switching position, the parallel guide member engages engagement slots in the guide with its first stop member and engages slots formed as part of the button head with its second stop member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A push button device is described in Oelsch U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,022. In this patent, parallel guide members are formed from a double scissors to achieve a secure parallel guiding of the button head in relation to the guide even when comparatively large button heads are utilized. Parallel guiding of this type insures that the desired switching operation is carried out without a tilting or jamming of the button head independent of the point at which the button head is pressed.
Push button devices are also known in which a stirrup is provided as the parallel guide member. Typically, such parallel guide members use a very long button head. In the case of the known push button devices which utilize a stirrup as the parallel guide member, complications in fitting the button bearing the parallel guide member to the guide are well known. Such complications are typically due to the fact that the movable parallel guide member must be introduced from the edge into the engaging slots of the guide while, at the same time, the button head must be held in an aligned position.